Riot Games has announced that the 2026 League of Legends World Championship anthem will be performed by True Damage, a virtual hip-hop ensemble comprised of in-game champions. The track, titled “Know My Name,” draws inspiration from New York drill music and features vocal performances from Vic Mensa as Ekko and Grammy-winning R&B singer Coco Jones as Senna.
True Damage previously debuted in 2019 with their single “Giants,” which has amassed over 175 million streams on Spotify. That initial release blended K-pop and traditional Spanish influences, while “Know My Name” pays homage to New York City, the host city for the upcoming World Championship in November.
The virtual band consists of five champions: Akali, Qiyana, Senna, Ekko, and Yasuo. Each character brings a unique musical identity to the group, allowing Riot to explore deeper connections between players and their favorite champions through music.
“In the same way you might spend hundreds of hours listening to your favorite artist, players spend an enormous amount of time with our characters,” said League of Legends creative director Elie Fielding in an interview with NME. “Our goal is for True Damage to deepen that connection between player and champion, revealing new facets of their personalities within this universe.”
Alex Shahmiri, who helped shape the music direction for the anthem, noted the importance of authenticity: “Drill was a really big inspiration for us this time around. We needed to find a space within hip-hop that still felt authentic to True Damage, but also brought the energy needed for a Worlds anthem. So you’ve got some darker tones throughout the track, but they’re brought into the triumphant esports sound with a live drumline and brass.”
Coco Jones, who takes over the role of Senna from previous performer Keke Palmer, discussed her approach to embodying the undead Wraith character: “You’re using your voice to communicate a character’s personality and story while still bringing something authentic from yourself to it. Vocally, I could really connect with Senna’s confidence and intentionality. She’s someone who has taken the time to develop her own sound and knows when she has something she wants to say.”
“Lyrically, hip-hop has always touched on themes of grit, resilience, overcoming obstacles – all the ingredients to a great sports story,” added Fielding. These themes align perfectly with the competitive spirit of the World Championship tournament.
“Know My Name” extends beyond mere entertainment for players, aiming to serve as an anthem of empowerment. “I really hope people can return to ‘Know My Name’ when they need that burst of inspiration or an extra boost to help push them towards their goals, whatever they may be,” said Fielding. Jones echoed this sentiment: “I want people to feel empowered to keep pushing toward whatever their goal is, but also to recognize that you don’t have to follow anyone else’s path to get there.”
True Damage is one of four virtual bands created by Riot Games using League of Legends champions. The company continues to push boundaries in the intersection of music and gaming, reflecting the deep connection fans have with its musical releases.
“We’ve seen and appreciated how players love Riot’s music, to the point that it’s a joke that Riot’s really a music company fronting as a games company,” said Shahmiri. “There’s a lot of excitement around how we can better serve players with music, so I’m excited to see what we can cook up in the next few years. I think the possibilities are endless because we still have barely scratched the surface on what this alternate universe can be.”
“Growing up, a lot of my interest in music came from what I was hearing in games. I remember buying my first CD because of Gran Turismo. So for me, I think video games are just as important as film and TV when it comes to spotlighting artists,” said Shahmiri.
“Artists collaborating with games for these really bespoke moments offers another platform to find their fans and meet them where they’re at in these spaces,” added Fielding. “It also allows fans of the artist to discover new games. It also allows players to discover new artists or artists they may not otherwise have heard about.”
‘Know My Name’ is out October 8 and you can pre-save it here
